Rotatable die



Dec. 3, 1935. E. J. VANDEGRIFT 2,023,297

ROTATABLE DIE Filed Aug. 16, 1954 /5 m x \www INVENTOR. W

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in special dies for numbers games and the like, and it is among the objects thereof to provide a die, shaped like a top, to which one of the indicia-bearing surfaces is fixed to rotate with the top and a pair of additional indiciabearing elements is mounted to be relatively movable thereto, so that, when the top is spun, different number combinations are read across the upturned faces of the relatively movable elements.

In the accompanying drawing, constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters designate like parts:-

Figure l is a plan view of a top-shaped die embodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 a front elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 an end view showing the bottom of the die;

Figure 4 a vertical cross-sectional view;

Figure 5 a plan view of a game board usable for operating the die; and

Figure 6 a cross-sectional view of the board taken along the line VI-VI, Figure 5.

With particular reference to the Figure 4 of the drawing, the numeral I designates a core element having a conical end 2 and a shank 3. Mounted on the core I is an annular member 4 provided with ten fiat surfaces 5, Figure 2, which are numbered 0 to 9 inclusively. The member 4 is pressed on the core member I or secured thereto in any suitable manner to rotate with the core. The core member I is provided with a shoulder 6 with which one end face of the member 4 forms a groove for mounting a disk I having numerals 0 to 9 inclusively, corresponding to the numerals on the central member 4.

Another disk 8 is mounted above the element 4 and is retained by a collar 9 which abuts against the core member I and is secured in place in any suitable manner, as by peening the end of a shank 3 at I0. It will be noted that running clearances II are provided between elements 4, I and 8 to render the members I and 8 freely movable relative to the fixed element 4 and core I.

When the top is spun, the disks I and 8 will revolve independently of the member 4 on the core element I so that different groupings of the numbers on the relatively movable members occur. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the member 4 has the numeral I on the upturned 55 face while the member I shows the numeral 1, and the member 8 the numeral 3. The three digits may be read in any desirable or prearranged manner, as for example, H3, 3II, I31 or 0 For convenience, a game board I2 (Figures 5 and 6) may be provided, the board being constructed of a hard fiber, glass, or molded composition, and is preferably arranged with wells or recesses I3 of an inch or more diameter, the recesses being spaced for the use of the players 5 who will successively spin the top therein and then read the number, as stated above, in the 'order as prearranged.

It is evident from the foregoing description of the invention that a die constructed so as to 10 have one fixed element and a plurality of relatively movable elements mounted to be freely rotatable on the fixed element, is out of control of the player and is productive of constantly changing number combinations. 15

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that a die with fixed and movable members or elements can be constructed of different forms within the 20 scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A die comprising a core member terminating in a conical end forming a flange on said core member, said core member having a shank at the other end, an indicia bearing body mounted to rotate with the core member at substantially the center thereof and forming a channel with the fiange, a disk mounted in the channel constituted by said indicia bearing body and flange, a second disk mounted above said indicia bearing body adjacent the shank of the core member, and a washer mounted at the base of the shank for retaining said last named disk, said disks bearing indicia corresponding to the indicia se- 35 cured to said central body, said disks being further freely rotatable on the core member relative to the central indicia bearing member and being of substantial mass.

2. A die comprising a core member terminating in a conical end forming a flange, said core member having a shank at the other end, an indicia bearing body secured to said core member to rotate therewith and being in spaced relation with the conical end member, an indicia bearing 45 disk disposed for rotary movement on the core member intermediate the flanged end and indicia bearing body and having its outer contour shaped as a continuation of the conical end of the core member, a second indicia bearing disk mounted for rotation above the indicia bearing body and below said shank, a retaining disk above said last named indicia bearing disk, said last named indicia bearing disk having its outer contour tapered from the central indicia bearing body towards the shank and both of said indicia bearing disks being of lesser diameter than the indicia bearing body that is fixed to the core member.

EDWIN J. VANDEGRIFI. 

